The Choice
by Xbakiyalo
Summary: [AU] Princess Anna came to the throne when she was 16. She has to marry before her next birthday. Suitors come pouring in. Will she chose the suave, seducing Prince Hao, or the friendly, laidback Prince Yoh? [HaoxAnnaxYoh, TamaoxHoro, PirikaxRen]


**Summary:** AU Princess Anna came to the throne when she was 16. Advisors and senators tell her that she has to marry before her next birthday. Suitors come pouring in. Will she chose the suave, seducing Prince Hao, or the friendly, laid-back Prince Yoh? HaoxAnnaxYoh, HoroxTamao, RenxPirika

**Rating:** T (PG-13)

**Chapter Notes:** Yeah, I felt the need to do another AU story. This one features Anna, in case you hadn't noticed. I'm getting in to writing about Anna. She's such a cool character!

**Pairings:** HaoxAnnaxYoh, HoroxTamao, RenxPirika

**Disclaimer:** Hiroyuki Takei drew it…Shounen Jump published it…and now I'm writing about it…

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22nd June 2002

Dear Diary,

This day has taken so long. It started like any other day, but then, as I put on my red satin dress my parents insist I put on for breakfast with them, I noticed a strange coldness in the air. I could tell something was wrong immediately. I guess I have a strange knack for being able to do that. Some people may call it empathy, and call me a talented girl for having the ability to read minds. Well, not read minds exactly, but able to tell emotions from being with a person. It annoys me when people call it a gift. I always thought of it as a curse. I don't want to know what people are thinking. I couldn't care less if someone is feeling scared when they're trying to look brave. And it puts me off a bit when I'm walking down the corridor and I can feel what servants who are working past are feeling. The worst is when I can feel hate or fear. That just makes me angry.

But I don't let it bother me that much. I'm Princess Anna Kyouyama, known throughout Japan for my "mature look on political issues". Pff. Who wrote that anyway? I normally had nothing to do with my parents, Ou Konoha and Jyoou Hikari of Japan. They were away for meetings and 'greeting the public' most of my life. You'd have thought that the public would have seen enough of them after my sixteen years. I certainly haven't. So that's why I wasn't really surprised when I walked down to the breakfast table and they weren't there.

Okay, so I was a bit disappointed. They had promised me that we could have breakfast together today. I was always a treat to see them after months of them being away; even though I always told them and everyone else that I didn't mind. I let them think of me as unfeeling, because then it doesn't make them feel as guilty. Inside, though, I wish they were there for me more. I do have my personal servant girl called Tamao. She keeps me company most of the time but I think she's a bit afraid of me. I find that really funny, even though I should actually feel upset. She's a sweet little darling of fourteen. In fact, she turned fourteen five days ago. I still don't know why they appointed a young girl to look after me when I'm perfectly capable to looking after myself. I don't mind, though. She's company, and someone who I don't feel guilty about bullying when I need to vent my anger.

She was the only one at the table when I came down. She was sitting all by herself in her seat near the end of the table, near mine. When I came in she jumped up, looking flushed. I noticed she was wearing a long black dress, very unusual for her. I had been told that her favourite colour was pink and it certainly seemed that way because she normally only wore pink dresses or skirts. I could feel sadness and fear in her. I wondered what was wrong.

"Anna-Hime! Uh, your parents couldn't, um, come to breakfast with you this morning." She finished speaking all in a rush. She blushed and I realised she wasn't telling me the whole truth. I sat down in my seat and she took hers.

"Tamao. Where are they?"

She looked flustered. "Uh… I don't know whether I can tell you… Kino-Sensei didn't say what to do…"

"Tamao. Just tell me. Never mind what Kino said."

She burst into tears. I rolled my eyes behind her, but gently patted her back until she was in a fit state to say something. Still sobbing, she mumbled, "Anna-Hime, I'm so sorry… Ou Konoha and Jyoou Hikari are… they're dead Anna-Hime!"

My hand paused in one of the circles I was making on her back in an attempt to calm her down. Otou and Okaa: dead? I didn't believe her at first. I remember my expression as if I could see it in a mirror. My eyebrows knitted together, my eyes nearly slits. My mouth curved downwards just slightly and my chin turned up. I changed my mind when Tamao continuously cried: she must be telling the truth. But when I realised that, I don't remember what I thought. I think numbness settled in. Disbelief mixed with sadness and I tiny bit of grief.

I got up and left Tamao crying her eyes out at the breakfast table. I still felt numbness; so much that I didn't know what I was really doing. I went to Kino's chambers and knocked on the door. If anyone knew something about what was going on, it would be her. She opened the door quickly.

"Ah, Oujo Anna," she bowed. "Come in."

I stalked in and sat on one of her chairs. "What's going on?"

"You won't like what you hear, Anna-Hime. But I presume you want to hear it anyway. I trust Tamao-Chan has told you the basics?"

"If you call bursting into tears and mumbling into the table the basics, then yes."

"Good. So you are aware that the Ou and Jyoou are dead. Not just dead. Murdered."

I closed my eyes and sat back on the chair. When I spoke they flicked open. "By who? I swear when I find them, I'll kill them with my bare hands!"

Kino smiled sadly. "We don't know who did it."

I started to say a swear word but stopped when I caught Kino's eye. I turned my back on her and stormed out of the room. Were all the police in this country mad? The Ou and Jyoou had been murdered and they hadn't even found the slightest clue as to who did it? I walked into my room and slammed the door so hard I could have sworn the whole country heard it.

I sat down on my bed and concentrated on my emotions. I knew I could be feeling all sad, boo hoo, but I didn't. However hard I tried, I couldn't even bring myself to cry for them.

And that was just the morning. By the afternoon I'd had half the palace come and tell me how sorry they were. The chief policeman even came in and talked me through the clues they had, which, in my opinion, were worthless. Tamao came in at nearly midday still with red eyes and started a weak attempt at making my bed and arranging my ornaments.

I skipped lunch; I don't think my stomach could have handled it. I moped about in my room for a little bit, unsure of what I should be doing, when Tamao received a message, which she passed on to me. I was to meet the senators in the Hall in 5 minutes. I sighed. I had been dreading this. The senators were a grumpy bunch used to getting their own way. When I became Jyoou, I'd put an end to that!

I wandered down to the Hall, arriving a few minutes late, much to the annoyance of some of the senators. I was delighted that I could annoy them so easily and decided that maybe this meeting wouldn't be as bad as I had thought.

Kino stood up first: "I trust you all know what has gone on in our palace. Last night, Konoha-Sama and Hikari-Sama were murdered. The police are still looking for clues as to their murderer, but so far there has been no luck. We have gathered here today to decide the fate of Oujo Anna. With no parents, she is rightfully entitled to the throne."

She sat down. Silva, another senator, stood up. "Kino-San! We cannot possibly allow Anna-Hime to take the throne alone. She is sixteen years old!"

I placed my hands on the table with a thump and used them to push myself into a standing position. "I can take care of the country! I'm not stupid, as most of you seem to think."

Karim shook his head and sat down. I remained standing, looking for someone to oppose me. I was very nearly ecstatic that no one could think of a better answer when Goldva, one of the most trusted members of the senate stood up. I inwardly groaned. My case was lost.

"Anna-Hime deserves the throne. Officially, sixteen is the youngest age and Anna-Hime is only a month away from her seventeenth birthday. However, I still think that she needs to have someone to help her run the country."

I opened my mouth to protest but she hushed me.

"I don't mean a member of the senate. I'm talking about a man. A husband." She turned towards me. "Anna-Hime, you should find a suitor and decide to marry him before your next birthday, when you will be crowned Jyoou. If not, I'm afraid we will have to chose for you."

My mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. Even now, as I'm writing this, I can't believe what they want me to do. I have to find a suitor within a month. I have to fall in love within a month.

And what are the chances of that happening?

Anna

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**Key**

-Chan: dear  
Jyoou: Queen  
Okaa: mother  
Otou: father  
Ou: King  
Oujo (or -Hime): princess  
-Sama: Master/Mistress  
-San: Mistress  
-Sensei: teacher

Konoha means 'leaf' and Hikari means 'light'. I made up their names.

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:-D I tried a diary! -faints- Do you like it? Do you think Anna's character is okay? What do you think of the storyline so far?

(The title may change later. The current one randomly came to me when I was typing.)

As always, please leave a review!

Xbakiyalo


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